Paper-feeding mechanism



C. F.- PFLANZE.

PAPER FEEDING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED. AUG 11, I919.

HEET I.

Patented May 17, 1921.

C. F. PFLANZE.

. PAPER FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. II. I919.

5 SHEETSSHEET 2.

c. F. PEL A N Z E PAPER FEEDING MECHANISM.

' APPLICATION FILED AUG Ill I 9l9.

. 1 378, l 940 Patented May 17, 1921.

5 SHEETSSHEET 3.

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I Ellllil .IJ; ..4| lllllpmzm I .1 J I H C. F. PFLANZE.

' PAPER FEEDIN-G MECHANISM.

a I APPLICATION FILED AUG 11, 1919. 1 37 14 Patented May 17, 1921.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4- 0. F. PFLANZE PAPER FEEDING MECHANISM.

Patented; May 17, 1921.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-11,1919.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES F. PFLANZE, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

PAPER-FEEDING MECHANISM.

To allwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. PFLANZE, a citizen of the United States of America, a resident of the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Paper'- Feeding Mechanisms, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in I mechanism for feeding sheets of paper, such as envelop blanks, from a pile, the main object being to produce a simple sheet separating device whereby the top sheet in a pile is positively separated from the remaining sheets and then delivered to a device for feeding the sheets from the pile.

in the preferred form of the invention, a marginal portion of the top sheet is positively lifted, so. as to peel the .top sheet from the next adjacent sheet, thereby gradually admitting air under the top sheet, and avoiding suction due to a vacuum which would cause the top sheet to adhere to the second sheet. In addition to being lifted and peeled from the pile, the top sheet is preferably pulled and displaced from the remaining sheets before it is delivered to the sheet feeder. The top sheet is thus positively released from the pile and positively delivered to the sheet feeder, which carries it away from the pile. By positively lifting the top sheet and positively displacing it from the next adjacent sheet, the sheets can be very rapidly picked from the pile and delivered to a high speed sheet feeder. More specifically stated, the mechanism 1 have selected to illustrate the invention comprises a picker which may be an air suction tube adapted to be secured to-a margin of the top sheet in the pile, and means cooper ating with said picker to positively displace the top sheet from the pile. Yielding means, such as spring fingers extending over the top sheet, may be employed to secure the top sheet to the pile. The picker, secured to a margin of the top sheet, is elevated to positively release the top sheet from one or more of the spring fingers and, thereafter, the top sheet is pulled and displaced horizontally from the remaining sheets. The displaced top sheet can then be carried away by the feeding mechanism.

The mechanism to be hereinafter de- Specificetion of Letters Patent; Patented May 17, 1921- Application filedAugust 11, 1919. Serial No. 316,681; i

" scribed includes a traveling sheet feeder in the form of a conveyer, which travels for-- wardly over a pile of envelop blanks, and

margin. After being lifted, the rear mar-V gin of the blank is pulled rearwardly and displaced horizontally from the next adjacent blank. This rearward movement results in the delivery of the blank to the forwardly moving auxiliary feeder which pushes the blank forwardly over the pile from which it has been released.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention comprises the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawin'gs wherein is shown the preferred embodiment of the invention; however, it is to be understood that the invention comprehends changes, variations and modifications which come within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

Figure I is a top or plan view illustrating a machine for feeding envelop blanks.

Fig. II is a side elevation of the upper portion of the machine.

Fig. III is an enlarged fragmentary view of the end portion of the suction tube whereby the envelop' blanks are picked from a ile. p Fig. TV is a vertical section illustrating the rear portion of the machine.

Fig. V is an enlarged plan view of the ratchet and pawl device forming part of the means for elevating the pile of blanks.

Fig. V1 is a horizontal section taken approximately on the line Vl--Vl, Fig. TV.

Fig. VII is an enlarged fragmentary plan view showing the pile of blanks and ,the feeding elements adjacent thereto.

Fig. VIII is a vertical section taken approximately through the center of the structure shown in Fig. VII.

The mechanism herein shown includes a vertically movable table 1 supporting a pile of envelop blanks A, which are to be delivered to a gumming device and thence to a folding device, but it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the use of a gumming or folding device, nor to the feeding of envelop blanks. The gumming delivering roll 3 rotatably mounted in sald also secured to shaft 8, and a gear receptacle, a gum transferrmg roll 4 whereby gum is transferred from the .roll 3 to a gumming roll 5 which coiiperates with a platen rotary shaft 7, which extends through the end Walls of the gum receptacle 2, and the roll 4 is fixed to a shaft 8 mounted in arms 9, which are pivotally supported-on a shaft 10 to which the gumming roll 5 is secured. A spring 11 (Fig. 11}, connected to a pivotally supported arm 9, yieldingly holds the gum-transferring roll 4 in engagement with the um delivering roll 3. 12 designates a rotatable shaft to which the platen roll 6 is secured.

To provide for the transmission of power to the machine, a pulley 13 (Figs. 1 and II) is fixed to the shaft-12. The gumming device is operated through the medium of a train of gearing consisting of a gear wheel 14 on the shaft 12, a gear wheel 15 meshing with the wheel 14 and secured to the shaft 10, a gear wheel 16 secured to shaft 8 and meshing with wheel 15, a gear wheel 16' 17 fixed to the shaft 7 and meshing with the gear 16'.

The sheet feeding mechanism for delivering the blank sheets to the gumming device comprises a pair of horizontally disposed endless conveyer bands 19 having perforations adapted to receive teeth on the periphery of wheels 20 and 21. The idle wheels 20 are secured to vertical shafts 22 and the drive wheels 21 are secured to vertical drive shafts'23. The conveyer bands 19 are provided with sheet supporting fingers 24, which extend forwardly to receive the blank sheets. These bands travel for-v wardly over the'pile of sheets A, and their depending fingers push the sheets over the pile and also over sheet supp An inclined deflector, 26 (Figs-I1 and IV) may be used to deflect the forward edges of the traveling sheets from the pile to the supporting bars 25.

Stationary alining rods 27 are arranged vertically and located in recesses formed in the blanks, so as to retain the piled blanks in alinement-with each other. The vertically movable blank supporting table 1 (Figs. IV and VI) is secured to a bracket 28 having its lower end fitted to .vertical guide ribs 29. The means for elevating the table comprises a stationary rack 30 (Figs. IV and VI), a pinion 31 meshing with and adapted to climb the stationary rack, a horizontal shaft 32 secured to the pinion, and a worm wheel 33 secured to said shaft, the latter being rotatably mounted in the bracket 28. If rotary movement is imparted to the shaft 32, the pinion 31 will climb roll 6, the blanks being fed between the rolls 5 and 6. The roll 3 is fixed to a orting bars 25.-

the top sheet the rack 30, with the result of elevating the bracket and the sheet supporting table carried. thereby. The means for rotating the .shaft 32 comprises a worm 34 confined between arms 28 on the bracket 28 and splined to a vertical shaft 35., the worm 34 being provided with a key 36 (Fig. VI) which travels in a groove in'the vertical shaft. A

ratchet wheel 37 (Figs. IV and V), fixed to the top of vertical shaft 35, is driven by a pawl 38 on an arm 39, which ma lated by means of a cam 40 actuating a lever 41 connected by means of a link 42 to the be oscilpawl carrying arm 39. When the mechanism is in operation, the vertical shaft 35 is very slowly rotated to slowly elevate the sheet supporting table 1.

The yielding means for securing-the top sheet to the pile .may consist of yielding spring fingers 43, secured to the upperends of stationary alining bars 27 and'extending over the rear margin of the top sheet. The front margin is yieldingly held by sprin fingers 43 shown in Figs. 1, TV and V1 said fingers being extended through recesses in the upper edges of bars 44 so as to overlie' and engage the rear margin of the top sheet in the pile. If the top sheet is properly withdrawn from the spring fingers 43 and 43, said fingers will engagethe' next lower sheet, and they will then serve as separators, allowing -the removed sheet to be pushed or pulled from the pile Without displacing the remaining sheets.

, The means whereby the top sheet is positively withdrawn from the pile comprises a picker 45,, which may be in the form of an air suction tube fixed to an oscillatory pivot rod 46. The free end of this suction tube is 0 em and provided. with a screen 45' (Fig. III adapted to contact with the top sheet in the pile of blanks, and the point of contact is preferably near the extreme rear edge of one of the extended flap portions of the blank as shown most clearly by Figs. VII and VII 47 designates a flexible air conductor extending from the pivotally mounted suction tube 45, and adapted to be secured to a vacuum pump, or the like. When the suction tube 45 contacts with the top sheet in the pile, it is secured thereto by the pressure resulting said tube is then elevated to. positively lift the rear margin of the-top sheet. This pulls the top sheet from the spring which overlie its rear margins. As the suction tube rises it gradually peels the top sheet from ,the pile,-while the remaining sheets are secure by the spring fingers 43 and 43. The entire top sheet, excepting its forward margin, is thus positively released from the pile and the pile to eliminate the tendency of the top sheet toadhere to the and air is admitted between from air suction in the tube, and

next adjacent sheet. The suction tube or picker may be used to lift the rear margin of the top sheet to the paths of the feeding means, whereby the sheet is carried from the pile. However, before the sheet is carried away, it is pulled rearwardly and thereby displaced horizontally from the remaining sheets, and also from the spring fingers 43 at the front margin of the pile.

will now describe a pulling means which coiip erates with the suction tube to displace the top sheet after it has been lifted by the suction tube, the function of the pulling means being to displace the sheet horizontally. It will be understood that the invention is not limited to this particular means for efl ecting horizontal displacement of the sheet. The pulling device herein shown comprises areclproca-ting bar 48 (Figs. VII and VIII), provided with rollers 49 mounted in horizontal guides 50. The forward end of this bar 48 is extended to provide a gripping finger 48 (Fig. VIII) adapted to lie under the elevated rear margin of the top sheet. "A lever 51, pivoted at 52 to the bar 48, is provided with a curved gripping finger 51 adapted to straddle the lo-wer end of suction tube 45 when the gripping device occupies its extreme forward osition. A spring 53 (Fig. VIII), connecting the lever 51 to the bar 48, tends to move the lever 51 on itspivot 52, thereby tending to force the gripping finger 51' toward the gripping finger 48.

' correspondin A roller 54 (Fig. VIII) on the rear end of lever 51 is adapted to cooperate with a stationary cam 55, for the purpose of opening the gripping device. 56 designates a trigger plvoted to a depending portion of bar 48 (Fig. VIII) and adapted to enter a -notch in the lever 51 so as to retain the gripper in its open position. A spring 57 tends to retain the upper end of the trigger 56 in operative engagement with lever 51.

The 0 eration of the sheet pulling device may be riefly described as follows:'

The bar 48 is reciprocated "to impart a elements. hen the bar .48 moves rearwardly the roller 54 engages stationary cam 55 so as to actuate the lever 51, thereby lifting the gripping finger 51 to open the gripping device. The spring actuated trigger 56 then snaps into a recess in lever 51, asshown in Fig. VIII, so as to retain the gripping device in its open position. When the bar 48 is thereafter moved forwardly, the gripping device is held in its open position by the trigger 56, and the opening grippers are thus transmitted to the elevated rear margin of the sheet held by the suction tube. The trigger 56 then strikes a stationary abutment rod 58 while the gripping device moves forwardly, thereby displacing the trigger from the lever movement to the grippi g 51 and permitting the spring 53 to close the gripper on the elevated rear margin of the top sheet. The closed gripping device then moves ,rearwardly to pull the top sheet from the spring fingers 43 at its rear margin, at

the same time delivering the sheet to an auxiliary feeder, which will be presently described. While the gripping device is moving rearwardly, the roller 54 (Fig. VIII) strikes the stationary cam 55 to open the gripper, as previously pointed out, thereby releasing the displaced sheet ,and permitting it to be acted upon by the auxiliary feeder.' Before describing this auxiliary feeder I will point out the means for actuating pivotally supported suction tube 45. 59 desi ates an operating arm (Figs. I

and VI I) fixed to and depending from thepivot rod 46 to which the suction tube is secured. The lower end of arm 59 is pro vided with a roller, which extends into a cam groove 60 formed in the side of a cam disk 60, said disk being fixed to a rotary shaft 61 providedwith a gear wheel 62 meshing with the gear wheel 14. The cam 60 60 cotiperates with the depending arm 59 to oscillate the pivot rod 46, to which the suction tube 45 is secured. The suction tube 45 is moved downwardly to contact with the top sheet in the pile, and the tube is then elevated to lift the rear marginof said top sheet to a position where it will be grasped by the gripping device. After the grippers close on the elevated margin of the top sheet the suction tube continues to move upwardly so as to positively release the open end of the tube from the sheet. The gripping device then moves rearwardly as the suction tube rises to the position shown by full lines in Fig. VIII.

The auxiliary feeder for delivering the sheets from the gripper to the fingers"- 24 on the traveling conveyers comprises a pair of horizontal pushers 63, each having an inclined shoulder 64 (Figs. VII and VIII) adapted to engage inclined rear edges of the envelop blanks. Each pusher 63 is also provided with a sheet supporting finger 63 extending forwardly from the lower edge of its inclined shoulder 64 and adapted to lie between the pile of sheets, and the elevated rear margin of the top sheet. These pushers 63 are secured to the forward ends III of horizontal rods 65 extending from a yoke 66 provided. with rollers 67 (Fig. I), which project into horizontal guides 68. The yoke 66, guided by the horizontal guides 68, may be reciprocated horizontally to impart a corresponding movement to the pushers 63. The means for reciprocating the yoke 66 comprises an oscillatory shaft 69 provided with upright arms 70, and links 71 connecting said arms to the forward ends of yoke 66 The means for oscillating the shaft 69 comprises an arm 72 (Fig. depending y from said shaft, and a link 73 whereby arm 72 is connected to a rotary crank 74 on one end of the shaft 61.

By means of the mechanism just described, the ushers 63 are reciprocated to deliver the blank sheets to the fingers 24 on the conveyer bands 19. hen the gripping device 4851 pulls the sheet rearwardly, it delivers the elevated" rear margin of the sheet to the pushers 63, the sheet being pulled rearwardly over the fingers 63 which extend from'thepushers 63, and the gripping device being then released from the sheet. Thereafter the pusher fingers 63' move forwardly over the pile of sheets to deliver the elevated margin of the sheet to the traveling'fingers 24 on the conveyer bands 19. The function. of the pusherfingers is to impart an initial relatively slow were compelled to pick up a stationary forward movement to the sheet at the time it is picked up by the traveling fingers. on the conveyer bands, thereby avoiding the dangerof mutilation or displacement which would be liable to occur 1f the conveyer bands, which move at a relatively high speed,

Briefly stated, the operations of the mechanism herein disclosed are as follows:

After the rear margin of the top sheet has been secured to the free end of suction tube 45, said tube is elevated to locate the rear margin ina position to be engaged by the grippingdev1ce,'at the same time re- Msheet,-and the suction tube then continues to move upwardly so as to positively pass away from the elevated ortion of the sheet. The gripping device t en movesrearwardly to positively release the forward portion of the top sheet from the sprin fingers 43 and %the next lower rearwardly to the fingers 63 extending from i the pushers 63, the gripping device is opened gummmg dean envelop to release the sheet therefromand the pushers 63 move forwardly to push the sheet over the pile to a sition where it can be readily picked up y the travelin fingers- ,24 on the conveyer bands 19. hile the sheet is traveling with the conveyer bands 19, the forwardedge of the sheetpasses over the spring. fingers 43, the latter being made of fine spring wires which are forced onto the pile of sheets with suflicient'pressure to formslight depressions in the top of the pile. Theendsof spring fingers 43 are thus. forced into the pile of sheets so that they will not obstruct the front edge of the sheet carried by the conveyerbandfi 19. igh peed, deliver the sheet to the vice, or to some other-part 0 making machine. The sheet is thus positively lifted at its rear margin and positively pulled rearwardly and displaced mg device, whereby they are carried away' from the pile.

The bars 44, at the inclined rear edges of the pile of sheets, are preferably inclined at their upper edges, which are shown in Figs. IV and VII, and these inclined edges are notched to receive the spring fingers 43 and the fingers 63' on the pushers 63. These inclined edges serve as deflectors for the inclined rear edges of the sheets which move rearwardly to overlie the fingers 63' on the pushers.

The traveling bands 19 are actuated by imparting rotary movement to the drive wheels 21 (Figs. I and II) fixed to the verticalshafts 23. Bevel gears 7 5 at the upr ends of vertical shafts 23, mesh with evel gears 76011 a horizontal shaft 77. A gear wheel7 8 is fixed to one end of the hori-' zontal shaft 77. The means for driving the elements just described comprises a gear wheel 79 (Fig. II) meshing with the gear 14, a gear wheel 80 meshing with gear 79',

and a gear 81 whereby movementis transmitted from the gear 81), to the gear 78.

The reciprocating gripping device (Figs. I and VIII) is driven through the medium of a link 82 connecting the horizontal bar 48 to an arm 83 on an oscillatory shaft 84,

said shaft being provided with a depending arm 85 connected by-means of a long bar 86 to a crank 87 onone end of the rotary shaft 61.

I claim: 1. In a paper feedlng mechanism, a sheet feeder arranged to move forwardly over a pile of the sheets to be fed, and means whereby a ortion ,of the top sheet in the pile is lifte 'to the path of said feeder and pulled rearwardly, so as to posltlvely release said top sheet from the pile.

2. In a paper feeding mechainsm, a sheet feeder arranged to move forwardly over a pile of the sheets to be fed, and means wherey a portion of the top sheet in the pile is lifted to the path of said feeder and pulled rearwardly, so as to positively release said.

top sheet from the pile, said means comprising a picker to which the top sheet 1s secured, means forlifting said picker to positively elevate a portion of the top sheet, and

means cooperating with said picker to pull v r the top sheet rearwardly before it is delivered to said sheet feeder. v

3. In a paper feeding mechai'nsm, a sheet feeder arranged to move. forwardly over a pile of the sheets to be fed,.anld sheet releas-' mg means" whereby the-rear margin of the picker having a bottom face adapted to be.

secured to said rear margin, means for lift- 1ng sa1d picker to elevate said rear-margm,

and means cooperating with said picker to pull the elevated rear margin in a rearward direction before the sheet is delivered to the forwardly moving feeder.

4:. In a paper feeding mechanism, a sheet feeder arranged to move forwardly over a pile of the sheets to be fed, said sheet feeder having a forwardly extended sheet holding member adapted to lie between the top sheet and the next adjacent sheet in the pile, and

sheet releasing means comprising a lifting device whereby the rear margin of the top sheet is lifted over the plane of said sheet holding member and a reciprocating gripping device whereby the sheet is pulled rearwardly so as to positively release said top sheet from the pile.

5. In a paper feeding mechanism, a sheet feeder .arranged to move forwardly over a pile of the sheets to be fed, said sheet feeder having a forwardly extended sheet holding member adapted to lie between the top sheet and the next adjacent sheet in the pile, and

sheet releasing means whereby the rear margin of the top sheet is lifted to said sheet holding member and pulled rearwardly so as to positively release said top sheet from the pile, said sheet releasing means comprising a picker for lifting said rear margin and means cooperating with said picker to ull said margin rearwardly before the sheet is delivered to said forwardly extended sheet holding member. 1

6. In a paper feeding mechanism, yielding means whereby the top sheet of a pile is secured to the remaining sheets, sheet releasing means'whereby the top sheet is lifted and pulled from the pile so as to positively release said top sheet from the remaining sheets, said sheet releasing means comprising a picker whereby the top sheet is lifted and peeled from the next adjacent sheet, and

the top sheet has been peeled rom the next adjacent sheet, and a sheet feeder movable over the pile to receive the top sheet after it has been pulled from the pil 7 In a paper feeding mechanism, a sheet feeder arran ed to move forwardly over a ile of the s eets to be fed, and sheet reeasing means whereby the rear margin of the top sheet in the pile is lifted to the path of said feeder and pulled rearwardly so as to positively release the top sheet from the pile, said sheet releasing means comprising a picker having a bottom face adapted to be secured to said rear margin, means for lifting said picker to elevate said rear marto pull the elevated rear margin in a rearward direction before the sheet is delivered to the forwardly moving feeder, and yielding separating members tending to retain the top sheet in the pile, said separating mem bers being -below the path of said sheet feeder so as vto separate the sheets carried by said feeder from the sheets remaining 111 the pile. I

8. In a paper feeding mechanism, a traveling sheet feeder in the form of a horizontal traveling conveyer arranged to move forwardly over a pile of the sheets to be fed, a picker adapted to be secured to the rear margin of the to sheet in the pile, means for lifting said picker to peel the top sheet from the pile, and means cooperating with Said picker to pull the sheet rearwardly, the

forwardly moving conveyer being arranged I to receive the top sheet after the latter has been lifted and pulled rearwardly.

9. In a paper feeding mechanism, a traveling sheet feeder comprising a pair of horizontally arranged traveling conveyers each having an extended sheet supporting'finger adapted to lie under the rear'margin of the sheet, said conveyers being arranged to travel forwardly over a pile of the sheets to be fed, a picker having a bottom face adapted to be secured to the rear margin of the top sheet in the pile, means for lifting said picker to peel the top sheet from the pile, and means cooperating with said picker to pull the top sheet rearwardly before it is deliveredto the sheet supporting fingers on the forwardly moving conveyers.

10. In apaper feeding mechanism, a sheet feeder arranged to move forwardly over a pile of the sheets to be fed, and sheet releasing means whereb the rear margin of the top sheet in the pi e is lifted to the path of. said feeder and pulled rearwardly so as to positively release the top sheet from the pile, said sheet releasing means comprising a picker havin a bottom face adapted to be secured to sai rear margin, means for lifting said picker to elevate said rear margin, and means cooperating with said picker to pull the elevated rear margin in a rearward direction before the sheet is delivered to the forwardly moving feeder, and an auxiliary feeder whereby the sheet is pushed forwardly and delivered'to the forwardly moving feeder.

11. In a paper feeding mechanism, a sheet feeder arranged to move forwardly over a, pile of the sheets to be fed,.said sheet feeder having a forwardly extended sheet holding member adapted to lie between the top sheet and the next adjacent sheet in the pile, and

' topositively release said top sheet from the pile said sheet releasing means comprisin a poker for lifting said rear margin an means cooperating with said pickerto pull said margin rearwardly before the sheet is delivered to said forwardly extended sheet holding member, and an auxiliary feeder whereby the sheet is pushed forwardly and delivered to said forwardly extended sheet holdin member.

12. n a paper feeding mechanism, a sheet feeder arranged to move forwardly over a pile of the sheets to be fed, and means for releasing sheets from the pile and delivering them to said sheet feeder, said means comprising a'picker to which the rear margin of the top sheet in the pile is secured, means for lifting said picker to elevate said rear margin of the top sheet, a pulling device to which the elevated rear margin is transferred from said icker, and means for shifting said pulling evice rearwardly to displace said top sheet rearwardly from the pile before said sheet is delivered to the forwardly moving sheet feeder.

13. In a paper feeding mechanism, a sheet feeder movable forwardly over a pile of the sheets and adapted to engage the rear. margin of the sheet to be fed,-so as to push the sheet over the pile, a picker comprising an air suction tube adapted to be secured by suction to the rear margin of the top sheet in the pile, means for lifting said suction tube to positively elevate said rear margin of the top sheet, a pulling device to which said rear.

margin is transferred from said suction tube, and means for actuating said pulling device to pull the to sheet rearwardly from the pile before it 1s delivered to the forwardly movin sheet feeder.

14. n a paper feeding mechanism, a picker whereby the rear marginal portion of the top sheet is lifted from a pile, a sheet pulling device to which said rear marginal portion is transferred from said picker, said sheet pulling device comprising a sheet gripper movable forwardly to take the elevated rear marginal portion from the picker and movable rearwardly to pull the top sheet and displace it from the next adjacent sheet, and a ,forwardly moving sheet pusher to which the displaced sheet is delivered by said gripper.

15. In apaper feeding mechanism,apicker 7 whereby the rear marginal portion of the top sheet is lifted from a pile, a sheet pulling device to which said rear marginal portion is transferred from said picker, said sheet pulladapted to move forwardly between the disv placed sheet and the next adjacent sheet in the pile.

16. In a mechanism for feeding envelop blanks from a pile, a picker adapted to be secured to the margin of an extended flap ortion of the top blank in the pile, means or elevating said picker to positively lift said extended flap portion, and means cooperating with said picker to pull the elevated flap portion, thereby'displacing the top blank relative to thenext adjacent blank, and a feeder to which the elevated margin of the top blank is transferred, said feeder comprisin a pair of sheet pushers movable over the pile and ada ted to engage the elevated margin of the isplaced top blank.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I hereunto aflix m si nature.

GI IAR ES F. PFLANZE. 

